Reading - multiple matching

You are going to read a magazine article about an orchestra. Choose the most suitable heading from the list
(A-I) for each part (1-7) of the article. There is one extra heading which you do not need to use. There is an example at
the beginning.

A - Not as silly as it sounds

B - Not the original intention
C - Responding to a demand
D - A great discovery for many
E - Leading to new ambitions
F - Modest origins
G - Great dedication
H - Nobody is excluded
I - The orchestra you can join straight away
Absolute Beginners
You don't need to be able to read a note of music to play in this orchestra - all it takes is a little effort and a lot of
enthusiasm.
0: I - The orchestra you can join straight away
The East London Late Starters Orchestra (ELLSO) is the most professional orchestra in Britain, but it is seriously fun.
What is more, all are welcome to join in. After each of its concerts, anyone from the audience can choose an instrument
and have a go. Then the whole orchestra launch into another piece of music and the new recruits are free to play along.

1.
The orchestra, now in its sixteenth year, grew out of a small scheme run by one of the local councils in east London to
give children in the area the opportunity to make music. ‘I shall never forget the day my daughter Kate came home from
school with a cello,’ ELLSO's founder Chris Shurety told me. ‘They’d had a couple of teachers come in and play
instruments. Then they said, “Who wants one?” Everyone put up their hands, and they were each given one to take home.
Music-making was seen as central to the children's education, and as a parent, I found it joyful to see it happening.'
2.
Since that time, dozens, if not hundreds, of adults have felt the same thrill at handling these beautiful instruments, a lot of
them for the first time in their lives. And for most, it comes as a revelation that they too can learn to play. It's never too
late, and there is nothing, apart from their own inhibitions, to prevent them.
3.
The idea of starting the ELLSO came about when the council invited parents to drop in for a one-hour sample lesson.
‘This was not with a view to getting something going among adults,’ says Chris. ‘It was just to give us a better
understanding of what the children were doing. But we went there, and for me that was it. I had a preliminary lesson on
the cello, and I thought, “I could learn to play these instruments!”’
4.
ELLSO is all about removing barriers and providing access to music in a friendly, non-competitive environment, for
people of mixed abilities and of all ages and social backgrounds. Fees are based on income. The absolute beginner, on
turning up, will be handed an instrument and given a brief tutorial, before being invited to play with the orchestra.
5.
‘Everyone,’ says Chris, ‘has the ability to make music.’ But, of course, they have to practise, and the 60-plus members
do so every Saturday morning without fail, some travelling a long way. Many of them are so eager that they also get
together in the week for group practice, or have private tuition. It's something they do for personal satisfaction and for the
confidence that flows from it. It is a very important part of their lives.
6.
Helen Couch is 76 and hadn't played an instrument until she joined the ELLSO at the age of 67. ‘I thought it must be a
joke, the idea that you could play with an orchestra after a couple of hours – I thought it was the funniest thing I’d ever
heard,' she admits. ‘I always assumed I was musically illiterate. Well, I still am, but I love it, although it’s hard work. I'm
ashamed that I'm not better, but you can hide in the orchestra, and knowing that gives you confidence. We're improving as
a group. Nine times out of ten we finish together now, which we didn't use to.
7.
‘It’s changed my life,' says Chris Shurety. ‘And that’s what ELLSO has done for lots of other people. Not all will want to
carry on learning an instrument, but if they've had a positive experience and are beginning to find out what they really
want to learn in life, it gives them confidence to move on to other things. There are a lot of people who started with
ELLSO who've gone on to study for degrees and emerged in new careers.'
Reading - multiple-choice questions
For each question, choose which of the four possible answers fits the space best and write THE CORRECT LETTER into
the empty box. Also think about why the other three answers are not possible.

1. This house is so old now. When it rains, the windows leak and the roof needs to be replaced soon. , we love it
and would never move to another.
a. nevertheless b. although c. though d. despite

2. You can't ignore this problem any longer. You have to  with it so we can go on with the plan.
a. deal b. do c. solve d. beat

3. I don't like watching soap operas and films on TV. I prefer documentaries with  people talking about their lives.
a. reality b. real c. authentic d. genuine

4. Has someone moved the drinks  the table while I was gone? I'm sure that glass in front of Peter was mine.
a. off b. along c. around d. on

5. We couldn't find the hotel and it was getting dark  we got out a map and studied it carefully.
a. so b. and c. but d. if

6. Well, according to the timetable, a bus should be along in  two minutes. But I wouldn't be surprised if we had
to wait another half an hour!
a. less b. below c. about d. round

7. Martin Jones,  as the Gentle Bank Robber during his three-year reign, was jailed for 25 years today at the
Central Court.
a. named b. reputed c. called d. known

8. I was born about 30km  Rome but have always lived in Great Britain.
a. from b. to c. far d. near

Reading – gapped text

In the following text, five sentences or parts of sentences have been removed. Above the extract you will find the five
removed sentences PLUS one sentence which doesn't fit. Choose from the sentences (A-F) the one which fits each gap
(1-5). Remember, there is one extra sentence you do not need to use. Write the correct letter in the box.

Choose from the following sentences to fill the spaces in the text. There is one extra.
A. That is when the Verrazano Narrows Bridge opened in New York City.
B. It is also one of the most visited places in the world.
C. People living in the area needed another way to get to the city besides the small ferry boats.
D. It was named for the body of water that it crosses, the Golden Gate Strait.
E. Only by doing this was the bridge able to be finished on time.
F. Still, this was a new safety record for the time.

The Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California is one of the world's most beautiful bridges. (1)  Vehicles
cross the bridge an average of forty-one million times each year. More than one billion eight hundred million vehicles
have used the bridge since it opened more than seventy years ago.

The bridge has always been painted "International Orange" because that color went well with the natural surroundings.
The color also is easier to see in the heavy fog that often covers the area. But the Golden Gate Bridge was not named for
its orange color. (2)  The Golden Gate Strait is the entrance to the San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. The
Golden Gate Bridge links the city of San Francisco with Marin County, California.

Planning for the bridge began in the 1920s when the area around San Francisco was growing. (3)  Joseph Strauss
was the chief engineer for the project. Work began in 1933. Mister Strauss demanded the strongest safety protections in
the history of bridge building. These included the first use of "hard hats" to protect the workers' heads and special glasses
to protect their eyes.

A special safety net was suspended under the bridge. This net saved the lives of nineteen men during the construction.
However, eleven other workers were killed when they fell from the bridge through the net. (4)
The Golden Gate Bridge opened in 1937. It extends one thousand two hundred eighty meters across the water. The total
length is two thousand seven hundred thirty-seven meters. It was the largest suspension bridge in the world until 1964.
(5)  Today, the Golden Gate Bridge is the ninth longest suspension bridge in the world.

The chief engineer, Joseph Strauss, wrote a poem called "The Mighty Task is Done" after the Golden Gate Bridge was
completed. It is written on the bridge.

Reading – multiple matching

Read about three members of the cat family, then answer the questions. For each question, choose which cat is the correct
answer.
The Leopard
The leopard is a member of the Felidae family with a wide range in some parts of Africa and tropical Asia, from Siberia,
South and West Asia to across most of sub-Saharan Africa. It is listed as Near Threatened because it is declining in large
parts of its range due to habitat loss and fragmentation, and hunting for trade and pest control.
Compared to other members of the large cat family, the leopard has relatively short legs and a long body with a large
skull. It is similar in appearance to the jaguar, but is smaller and more slightly built. Its fur is marked with rosettes similar
to those of the jaguar, but the leopard's rosettes are smaller and more densely packed, and do not usually have central
spots as the jaguars do.
The species' success in the wild is in part due to its opportunistic hunting behavior, its adaptability to habitats, its ability
to run at speeds approaching 58 kilometres per hour (36 mph), its unequaled ability to climb trees even when carrying a
heavy carcass, and its notorious ability for stealth. The leopard consumes virtually any animal that it can hunt down and
catch. Its habitat ranges from rainforest to desert terrains.
Most leopards avoid people, but humans may occasionally be targeted as prey. Most healthy leopards prefer wild prey to
humans, but injured, sickly, or struggling cats or those with a shortage of regular prey may resort to hunting humans and
become habituated to it. Although usually slightly smaller than a human, an adult leopard is much more powerful and
easily capable of killing them.

The Lion
With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger. Wild lions currently exist
in sub-Saharan Africa and in Asia while other types of lions have disappeared from North Africa and Southwest Asia in
historic times. Until the late Pleistocene, about 10,000 years ago, the lion was the most widespread large land mammal
after humans. They were found in most of Africa, across Eurasia from western Europe to India, and in the Americas from
the Yukon to Peru.
The lion is a vulnerable species. Lion populations are untenable outside designated reserves and national parks. Although
the cause of the decline is not fully understood, habitat loss and conflicts with humans are currently the greatest causes of
concern. Within Africa, the West African lion population is particularly endangered.
Lions live for 10-14 years in the wild, while in captivity they can live longer than 20 years. They typically inhabit
savanna and grassland, although they may take to the forest. Lions are unusually social compared to other cats. A pride of
lions consists of related females and offspring and a small number of adult males. While lions do not typically hunt
humans, some have been known to do so. Sleeping mainly during the day, lions are primarily nocturnal.
The lion has been an icon for humanity for thousands of years, appearing in cultures across Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Despite incidents of attacks on humans, lions have enjoyed a positive depiction in culture as strong but noble. A common
depiction is their representation as "king of the jungle" or "king of beasts"; hence, the lion has been a popular symbol of
royalty and stateliness, as well as a symbol of bravery.

The Bobcat
The bobcat is a North American wild cat, appearing around 1.8 million years ago. With 12 recognized subspecies, it
ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico. The bobcat is an adaptable predator that inhabits wooded areas, as well
as semi-desert, urban edge, forest edges, and swampland environments. It persists in much of its original range, and
populations are healthy.
With a gray to brown coat, whiskered face, and black-tufted ears, the bobcat resembles the other species of the Lynx
genus. It is about twice as large as the domestic cat. It has distinctive black bars on its forelegs and a black-tipped, stubby
tail, from which it derives its name.
Though the bobcat prefers rabbits and hares, it will hunt anything from insects, chickens, and small rodents to deer. Prey
selection depends on location and habitat, season, and abundance. Like most cats, the bobcat is territorial and largely
solitary, although with some overlap in home ranges. It uses several methods to mark its territorial boundaries, including
claw marks and deposits of urine. The bobcat breeds from winter into spring and has a gestation period of about two
months.
Although bobcats have been hunted extensively by humans, both for sport and fur, their population has proven resilient.
The elusive predator features in Native American mythology and the folklore of European settlers.
1. Which cat physically marks its territory?
A. lion
B. leopard
C. bobcat
2. Which cat cannot live in un-managed wild areas?
A. lion
B. leopard
C. bobcat
3. Which cat used to live over a large percentage of the planet?
A. lion
B. leopard
C. bobcat
4. Which cat is very good at silent, unseen hunting?
A. lion
B. leopard
C. bobcat
5. Which cat is an extremely good climber?
A. lion
B. leopard
C. bobcat
6. Which cat is not the stereotypical independent lone creature?
A. lion
B. leopard
C. bobcat
7. Which cat has a healthy population?
A. lion
B. leopard
C. bobcat
8. Which cat is well regarded in most cultures?
A. lion
B. leopard
C. bobcat
9. Which cat can sometimes be seen in city areas?
A. lion
B. leopard
C. bobcat
10. Which cat looks very similar to another big cat?
A. lion
B. leopard
C. bobcat

Use of English – multiple-choice cloze

TWO CREATURES OF THE PAST - MAMMOTHS AND MASTODONS
The elephant has some distant relatives called mammoths, which lived in the Stone Age. More than 15,000 years ago
people painted pictures of them on cave walls. Then, astonishingly, in 1799, a man walking along the banks of the River
Lena in Siberia 1 a startling discovery. Peering into a wall of ice, he could 2 see the shape of a massive,hairy
mammoth, apparently 3 at him.He immediately ran 4 in terror,but several days later he 5 the courage
to return and cut the mammoth’s tusks – its two enormous teeth – out of the ice to sell them.Mammoth tusks are the
biggest teeth of any known creature, some 6  a length of five metres.These tusks were 7  to good use,
protecting the mammoths' young from other animals, and brushing away snow.
To most of us, mammoths are probably the most 8 of the elephant’s extinct relatives, but thousands of years
earlier, in the woodlands of eastern North America, lived another of the elephant’s relatives called the mastodon. Like
mammoths, mastodons may also have had a hairy coat, but 9 mammoths mainly ate grass on the plains,mastodons
10  to eat twigs and leaves.
We do not know why mastodons 11  extinct.However, computer studies of the decrease in mammoth 12
suggestthat it was a particular 13  of over-hunting by humans, and 14  in the climate at that timewhich
15  to their disappearance.
1. A did B had C made D took
2. A just B quite C rather D well
3. A looking after B looking out C watching out D watching over

4. A across B away C out D past

5. A experiences B felt C found D grew
6. A completing B expanding C increasing D reaching
7. A held B kept C put D set
8. A familiar B frequent C regular D usual
9. A as B even C when D while
10. A desired B enjoyed C preferred D selected
11. A became B came C turned D went
12. A amounts B numbers C quantities D totals
13. A addition B attachment C combination D connection
14. A adjustment B diversion C changes D transformation
15. A caused B guided C influenced D led

Use of English – open cloze

Read the text below and think of the word which best fits each space. Use only one word in each space. There is
an example at the beginning.

DEVELOPMENTS IN UNDERWATER DIVING

People have been diving without mechanical aids 0 since ancient times. In those days, divers mainly went
underwater to search 1   pearls or sponges.Various ways of supplying divers with air, and so
permitting them to stay underwater for long periods of time, have been tried for well 2  two thousand
years.Alexander the Great 3 said to have gone underwaterin an early 4 of diving machine,and
Aristotle talked about apparatus 5 permitted divers to breathe underwater.
It was not 6 the beginning of the 18th century that more advanced equipment was developed. In
1717, the first practical diving machine, or ‘diving bell’ 7  it was called, was invented.This was a small
wooden room with an open bottom, glass windows at the top to 8 in light, and a supply of air coming
through leather tubes. Something similar, made of steel, is 9 use todayfor underwater work, 10
as building the foundations of bridges.
However, 11 divers want to move freely underwater, they require a suit.Early suits were made up 
12 a leather jacket with a metal helmet over the head into which air was pumped down from the
surface through tubes.Divers gained even 13 freedom of movementwhen they could 14
rid of these tubesand carry 15 own air with them in cylinders.

Use of English – Key word transformation

For questions 1-10, complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word
given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given. Here is an
example (0).

Example:
You must do exactly what the manager tells you.
carry
You must carry out the manager‘s. instructions exactly.
1. My daughter regrets spending all her savings on that car.
she
My daughter wishes  all her savings on that car.
2. They are extending this motorway by 100 kilometres.
being
This motorway  100 kilometres.
3. It was a mistake for the company to install the new computer system.
should
The company  the new computer system.
4. We mended the roof to prevent the birds from making nests in it.
so
We mended the roof  not make nests in it.

5. I'm afraid I don't have time to go shopping this morning.

too
I'm afraid  to go shopping this morning.
6. Matthew can't be sure that Alex will help him if something goes wrong.
rely
Matthew can't  him if something goes wrong.
7. By the time we arrived at the theatre, nearly all the seats had been taken.
hardly
There  left by the time we arrived at the theatre.
8. Pauline isn't trying to solve her financial problems at all.
effort
Pauline is  solve her financial problems.
9. I'd rather you made less noise – I'm trying to get some work done.
mind
Would  much noise – I'm trying to get some work done.
10. I shouldn't bother to clean the windows today because it's going to rain.
worth
It the windows today because it's going to rain.

Use of English – word formation

For Questions 1-8, read the text below. Use the word given in capitals to form a word that fits in the gap. There is an
example at the beginning.
An Incredible Vegetable
Garlic, a member of the Lilliaceae family which also includes onions, is (0) commonly (COMMON) used in cooking all
around the world. China is currently the largest (1)  (PRODUCT) of garlic, which is particularly associated
with the dishes of northern Africa and southern Europe. It is native to central Asia and has long had a history as a health-
giving food, used both to prevent and cure (2)  (ILL) In ancient Egypt, workers building the pyramids were given
garlic to keep them strong, while Olympic athletes in Greece ate it to increase their resistance to infection. The forefather
of antibiotic medicine, Louis Pasteur, claimed garlic was as (3)  (EFFECT) as penicillin in treating infections.
Modern-day (4)  (SCIENCE) have proved that garlic can indeed kill bacteria and even some viruses, so it can be
very useful for people who have coughs and colds. In (5)  (ADD), some doctors believe that garlic can reduce
blood (6)  (PRESS) The only (7)  (ADVANTAGE) to this truly amazing food is that the
strong and rather (8)  (SPICE) smell of garlic is not the most pleasant!
Listening - extracts with multiple-choice questions
You will hear people talking in eight different situations. For questions 1-8, choose the best answer. You will hear each
situation twice.

1.
You hear an announcement on the radio. What kind of programme is being advertised?
A. a documentary B. a drama series C. a quiz show
2. You hear part of a talk on the radio. What is the woman talking about?
A. a guided walk B. a history expert C. a local celebration
3. You hear a man talking about a restaurant he runs on a Caribbean island. What is he doing when he speaks?
A. advising on how to avoid a problem B. asking for help with a continuing problem C. explaining how a problem
occurred
4. You overhear a woman talking to her colleague. Where does the woman work?
A. in a bookshop B. in a publisher’s office C. in a school
5. You hear a scientist talking about a slimming diet which is used by people who want to lose weight. What does she say
about the diet?
A. It can have useful results. B. It may have harmful effects. C. It might get scientific approval.
6. You overhear a woman talking on the phone. Who is she speaking to?
A. a builder B. a hotel manager C. a shop assistant
7. You hear someone talking about the work he does supplying fruit and vegetables. When does he receive most of the
orders?
A. in the afternoon B. in the evening C. in the morning
8. You overhear a woman talking to a friend. What is she doing?
A. complaining about something B. offering him something C. suggesting something
Listening - sentence or note completion
You will hear part of a recorded guided tour which is given to people visiting a wildlife park. Complete the sentences.
You can listen to the recording twice.

1. Burton Safari Park is one of the  wildlife parks in Europe.

2. If you have a problem, stay in your car and call for help using the  and horn.
3. As the animals have specially planned  , visitors shouldn't feed them.
4. The name ‚white rhino‘ comes from the shape of the animal's   .
5. Some of the rhinos have lived at Burton for as long as  years.
6. The rhinos are able to recognise Anne because their sense of  is extremely good.
7. An important job for the keepers is checking that the rhino's  are not damaged.
8. One of the park's male rhinos is described as getting rather  occasionally.
9. The rhinos sometimes use part of the car as a place to  themselves.
10. The rhinos in the park eat a combination of   .

Listening - multiple matching

You will hear five careers advisers talking to young people who are preparing for their first interview for a job. Decide
which piece of advice each speaker gives. Each sentence can be used only once. There is one extra sentence which you do
not need to use. You can listen to the recording twice. You have 30 seconds to read the questions. Then start the
recording.
A Think of why you want to work for that company.
B Avoid concentrating on your free-time interests.
C Find out all you can about the company.
D Make a list of all your strengths.
E Give full answers to all the questions.
F Think about how to improve your weak points.

Speaker 1:
Speaker 2:
Speaker 3:
Speaker 4:
Speaker 5:

Listening - selection from two or free possible answers

You'll hear an interview with Colin Browne, a representative of the Youth Hostel Association or YHA. For questions 1-7,
choose the best answer, A, B or C. You can listen to the recording twice. You now have one minute in which to look at
the questions. Then start the recording.

1. According to Colin, the quality of YHA accommodation

A.has risen over the years. B. is better than most people say. C. should generally be improved
2. Colin says that the YHA decides what changes to make by
A. asking for the views of customers. B. looking at other organisations. C. trying out different ideas.
3. Colin says that in the early years of the YHA,
A. it was more common for young people to travel without parents. B. parents generally had lower incomes.
C. the typical visitors were interested in the countryside.
4. What does Colin say about YHA regulations?
A. He disagrees with some of them. B. Most of them have not changed. C. They used to be stricter.
5. Colin says that the majority of people who write to him
A. are experienced travellers. B. have old-fashioned ideas about the YHA.
C. support the changes that have been made to hostels.
6. According to Colin, a YHA building may be closed down if
A. a lot of money is needed to repair it. B. a visitor complains about it. C. nobody can be found to run it.
7. Colin fears that in the future there may be
A. less demand for hostels. B. more hostels needed in certain areas. C. too many hostels.